Log-unloading machine



M. F. CRAWFORD LOG UNLOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. '7, 1926 3 Sheets-Shanigmxmkm aid/40 062 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwu 1 4to'v M/ O/ewwr'a/ea July19,1927. V V

M. F. CRAWFORD nos UNLOADING MACHINE Flled Sept 7 1926 July 19, 1927.1,636,591

M. CRAWFORD 'LOG UNLOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1926 I 3 snags-sheet P wo Patented July 19, p 1927.

l'iED STATES MILLARD FILLMORE CRAWFORD, OF NATALBANY, LOUISIANA.

LOG-UNLOADING MACHINE.

Application filed September 7, 1926. Serial No; 134,041.

The present invention relates tolog unloading machines, and has for-anobject to provide a novel means for controlling the position of a ramcylinder, such as is disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No.

110,941, filed May 22, 1926.

Another object of the invention is to provide controlling means for theram cylinder, which is located adjacent to the throttle lever,

so that one operator may not only control the thrust of the ram cylinderbut may also from the same position control the angular movements, orthe swinging of the ram cylinder either before or during its operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tilting or swingingmeans for a ram cylinder which may be actuated by a fluid, such as air,steam or the like under suitable pressure, so that both the ram cylinderand the tilting device may be controlled from a single source of fluidpressure and be under the complete control of one operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tilting cylinder forconnection with the ram cylinder for holding the latter in any positionof adjustment desired andin which the ram cylinder is to be used so thatthe latter may be operated from any desired position and the operationof the ram cylinder and the tilting cylinder do not interfere with oneanother.

The invention still further aims to provide an improved tilting devicewhich is capable of swinging the ram cylinder into an upright position,and'providing means for locking the ram cylinder in such position, sothat it may be carried out of the way when not in use, and to furtherprovide a fluid actuated tilting cylinder, which is capable of fieXi--bility in use, and to further provide the cylinder with means forreducing the pressure when the latter reaches a predetermined degree toprevent injury to the mechanism when the ram cylinder is swung out ofadjusted position by abnormal weights imposed thereon, such as by logs.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views, I I

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a log unloading machine constructedaccording to the present invention, the top or cover beingremoved.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, and i Figure 3 is a frontelevation of the device in position for unloading logs from a car.

In the pre:ent instance the invention is shown as applied to a logunloading machine of the portable steam operated type, such as shown inmy co-pending application Serial No. 110,941, above referred to. It isunderstood, however, that'the present invention may be'applied to anytype of log unloading machine utilizing a ram, and which may be operatedby other pressure than steam and which may be self-contained andotherwise than portable if desired.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a platform supported on thewheels 11, which in the present instance are mounted on a track 12, sothat the device may be of a portable nature if desired. The platform 10may have a steam boiler 13 thereon with a water tank 14 and a fuel tank15 suitably disposed on the platform, and the platform may also beprovided with an engine 16 adapted to be connected to the boiler 13 by asteam'supply pipe 17.

These elements so far described are merely for the purpose, ofillustration and, of course, may be substituted by any other suitableframe work or support, and any other suitable means of supplying fluidunder pressure.

The platform 10 is providedwitha pair of uprights 18 between the upperends of which is mounted a ram cylinder 19, the latter being supportedon trunnions 20, which have bearing in the upper ends of the standards18, and the standards 18 are preferably reinforced by braces 21, whichextend from the upper ends of the uprights 18 downwardly to the base 22of the frame so formed.

The ram cylinder 19 is adapted to swingon the axis of its trunnions 20and is provided with a head 23 of suitable construcslight upon thepivotal movement. or swing ing of the ram cylinder 19. A throttle lever.29. projects from one side of the throttle and terminates adjacent tothe axis otthe' trunnion 20 to facilitate manipulation of the ramcylinder 19.

The throttle valve-26 is connected by. pipes 30 to the opposite ends oithe ram cylinder 19 for controlling the intake and exhaust of steaminto} and fromthe' opposite ends of the ram cylinder. The ram cylinder19 is adapted to --be swung upwardly 1 from the horizontal position,shown in Figure 3 into a substantially vertical position, and the raincylinder carries a pin 31 near its rear end adapted to interlock with alatch 32 mount ed on the base22- and the lower ends of the standards 18,so as to lock and hold the rain cylinder invertical position out of the'way. Furthenthe standards 18 are provided inter mediate. their endswith a cross brace carrying-a bulter spring el'adapted to engage therear end of the rain cylinder19 when the latter is swung upwardly at itsforward end.

-The present i veritionproVides a means for swinging andholding theramcylinder in the desired. position upon its axis 20. For this purpose,the rain cylinder frames are provided with upstanding brackets 35,which'inay be oi Aiorm or otherwise; and which aredisposed at oppositesides of the ram cylinder 19at its rear end. The brackets '35 carry intheir upper ends bearings 36 supporting trunnionsB? carried upon thelowerhead ot a cylinder 38 adapted to swing upon. the trunnions intodifferent. angular positions upon the brackets'85. The cylinder 38 isthe swinging cylinder for operating the rain cylinder 19 andisprovidedwith a piston 39 having a piston rod 40, which p-rojectsdownward throughthe lower head of the cylinder 38 and is pivotally connected to a yoke4-.l'ha-ving its arms pivoted at 42 to-t-lietorward portions of thebrackets 35 at opposite sides otfthe rain cylinder 19.

The free end of the yoke 41 has a roller 43, which bears upon. a springwear plate 44 secured'to the upper side oi the ram cylinder 19 andextending from apoint near the rear end otthe ram cylinder forwardlythereof the spring wear plate 4-4 being hentupwardly at an angle -at-itsforward end to maintain the same in engagement with the'roller' 43 38leads to a controlling valve d'Zinounted interme'd'iately upon thecylinder. '38; and

whichis.connected by pipes 48 to the opposite ends of theieylinder 38.It will also be noted that the controlling valved? has an exhaustpiped-9 which leads to the-o posite trunnion'S'? and steam is carriedthere through to the outlet or exhaust pipe 50.

The controlling valves? isprovidedwitlr an operating lever 51 atone sidewhich normally extends outwardlyjand upwardly at a slight angle, andwhichis connected to a differential lever 52. The lever .52'isl ofsuitable length and'is pivotally connected at 58 to an upstanding rod" 5which is pivot'ally mounted upon "the yoke 41"intermediate the pivotaland free ends thereof. The swinging. movement o'fthev yoke .41 raiscsandlowers the rod 54 and thus swings the di'tlerential'lever 52. v f

The differential lever 52 is pivotallyconnected intermediate its ends,and preferably toward the valve controlling lever 51; with an anchoringlink 55, which is pivotally carried uponan arm 56 mounted on a 'shaithfsupportingupon a bracket' 58 whi'clris car:

ried by the cylinder'l38.

"The shaft 5( projects laterallyflrom the arm 56 and carries a'secondjilonger arm 59,

w'hicl extends downwardlyand -across the axis oi the trunnion 37Jand ispivotally. connected'a short distance below the triinnion 87 with pushrod '60. IThe'rodGO is relatively long and extendsdownwardlythrough headjacent bracket '35 and'into the-ram cylinder frame, and is pivotallyc'onn'ected'to an arinlll of a. rock shaft62..inounted"in a bracketcarried bythe latfor -"10' and ad jacent to one of the standai'ds18. Therock shalt 62 extends upwardly from the "standard '18 into a'suitableposition for-supporting an upright tiltin lever '63 adj'acent theoperator. i

In 0peration,'when 'it"is desi'red to tilt the ram cylinder 19; itisonly necessary ior the operator to 'swing tlie' tiltingle'ver 63 througha desired angle and maintain the lever 63 in such adjusted-position.Thisoperat-ion causes the puslrrod 'tiO-to move upwar'dly and swing thearms 59, and 5611pwardly to move the anchoring link 55 in an upwarddirectionand swing the-differential lever 52 upwardly about-itspivotThis action causes the'difierential-lever 552 to not only move inwardlytoward thenontrolling valve 47, but to also swing the throttle'lever Asthe ram cylinder 19 is swung clownwardly at its rear end, the yoke 41swings the tilting cylinder 88 into an angle about its trunnions- 37, sothat the piston rod 40 may exert a more nearly direct thrust upon thetop of the cylinder 19. This action of the yoke 41 causes the same toswing downwardly and draw the rod 54. downwardly therewith, swinging theditl erential lever 52 about its pivotal connection with the anchoringlink 55 and operating the throttle lever 51 to close off the supply oiisteam to the cylinder 38. This operation also holds the ram cylinder 19in adjusted position until the lever 63 is swung into a new posi tion orback into its original normal position, as shown in Figure 3.

The mechanism, therefore, allows the, operator to move the lever (53into a desired position and leave it in such position whereupon thevalve mechanism automatically etifec'ts the entrance of the fluid underpressure into the desired end oi the cylinder 38 and to the desiredextent to move the ram cylinder into the angle desired, andthen cuttingoff the supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder 38 for yieldinglyholding or locking the swinging mechanism in position. The-end of thecylinder 38 may be provided with a pressure relief valve 64 adapted torelieve pressure in the cylinder when an abnormal load or pressure isplaced upon the head 23, such as by the falling of logs or the likethereon, and which would otherwise damage the apparatus. I

This arrangement and location of the pressure relief valve 64 thusserves to protect the mechanism, and may be adjusted so as not tointerfere with the normal working of the cylinder.

Figure 3 of the drawings shows one work ing position of the ram cylinder19 wherein the head a3 is disposed opposite to a load of logs 65 mountedon a truck or car 66, which is disposed adjacent to the log unloadingmachine, anchoring chains 67 being utilized if desired for holding theplatform 10 and the car 66 from spreading apart under pressure of theram cylinder.

It will be noted particularly from Figure 3 that the ram cylinder 19 hasits trunnion 20 between the ends 01 the ram cylinder, but nearer theinner end thereof, so that the weight of the outer end or" the raincylinder with the head 23'is sutficient to at all times inder upwardlyagainst the work member 41. Thus the'piston 39 need act only in adownward direction.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may bemade in thedetails of construction and design of the above specifically describedembodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof,such changes and modifications being'restricted only by the scope of thetollowing claims. a

What is claimed is 1. In a log unloading machine, a ram cylinder, meansfor pivotally supporting the ram cylinder intermediate its ends but at apoint toward its rear end whereby to normally urge the rearend of theram cylinder to extend upwardly, a tilting cylinder mounted above-therear end of the ram cylinder and having a piston rod projectingdownwardly toward the ram cylinder, a yoke member pivotally mountedbetween the cylinders and having'one end pivotally connected to saidpiston rod for urging the end of the yoke against the upper side of theram cylinder, a sprmg wear plate carried upon the upper side of theramcylinder beneath the yoke for receiving impact thereof and absorbingshock incident to the pounding of the piston rod, and means for controlling admission of fluid under pressure to the tilting cylinder. 7

2. In a log unloading machine, a ram cylinder, means for pivotallysupporting the ram, cylinder near its rear end, a tilting cylinderdisposed above the rear end of the ram cylinder, means for pivotallysupporting said tilting cylinder, means for convey ing fluid underpressure through the sup porting means to the tilting cylinder, acontrolhng valve mountedon the tilting cylin- .der for admittting fluidunder pressure to and from the opposite ends thereof, a differentiallever connected to the controlling valve, a supporting rod pivotallyconnected to the differential lever in spaced relation to the valve,hand controlled means connected to the differential lever for swingingthe same upon its pivotal connection with said rod, and automatic meansconnected to the rod, and between the cylinders for swinging thedifferential lever into a normal position incident to the movement ofthe tilting cylinder into a position corresponding to that in which saidhand controlling means is adjusted. v

3. In a log unloading machine, a ram cylinder, means for pivotallysupporting the ram cylinder at a point near its inner end, a tiltingcylinder pivotally mounted above the rear end of the rain cylinder. aswinging member having a fixed pivotadja cent the ram cylinder andengaging at its free end the rear end of the ram cylinder, a piston rodcarried in said tilting cylinder &

and connected to suidpi'voted Enemby f0:- urging the same downwardlyagainst the ram cylinder, fluid con'ti'ollingymeans can riedby thetilting cylinder, manua1 '1nem1s for setting the fluid control meansforge-perating the tiltingcylinder to tilt the ram cylinder, andautomatic means connected to V justment;

said pivoted member and to said fluid c0ntrollinglneans and suidmanualmeans to bring the, fluid, controlling means into nor mal moperatlveposltlon when Szud tiltmg cylmder reaches the damned posltlon of ad-MILLARD 'FILLMQ RE @mwmee. V

